Sunday, September 29, 2013

When it comes to being a biking mama in Amsterdam, it seems like the more hard core you are, the smaller your bike is and the more kids you pile onto it.

So...relatively speaking, I am not too hard core...because my bike is huge and I usually just have 2 kids in it. Make no mistake, I feel like a total badass...I am just not maybe as badass as some of the dutch mamas around town.

Check these rigs out:

One kid in the front, one kid in the back, a common alternative to the bakfiets (my bike).

Check out this ride...at least one kid helps to pedal...

I spied this early this morning (sorry its so dark). Check it out...a FOUR seater. JG - I'll look into sending one of these your way in a few years...

This bad ass is parked just down the street. If there was a way to photo the family in action without feeling like a total coooky neighbor, you know that I would do it. 2 kids in the back, one in the front, and mom or dad pedals and steers the whole brood.

I adore this little sweetheart...adore it in an I-think-I-need-it kind of way...how fun would school commute be?! How could one not be happy cruising the streets of Amsterdam in this number?

And remember this whip. She is like the fanciest rig of all. Not high on the badass scale, esp since she has 3 wheels and cushioned seats...but this thing is gorgeous...

Are you still with me...if so, two more things.

One - I don't have photo evidence, but trust me when I tell you, many many parents ride around on bikes like those pictured above, while a small baby is strapped to their chest or back in a bjorn type thing. Also, it is very common (I see it daily) for kids to pile onto grown up bikes even if there are not seats for them...often they stand up on the back of a bike while holding their parents shoulders. See below for an example (photo from here, thank you google images).

There is a new little man in Cinci, and my bestie is a mom to FOUR! FOUR!!!!!

Didn't she just have a baby? Or three? Yes she did (my god girl!)...she did...and she did. But she did it again, because she is so amazing. Oh, and PS - each baby was born in a different city and state...because, well, that's just how this crew rolls. And PS again - the oldest (my god girl) is not even 5 yet!

I want to climb into that photo, into that hospital bed, into that family....

My Team

Moi

I'm a midwest farmer's daughter who fell in love with a French ski racer from California. Recently, we jumped at the chance to move to Amsterdam for nearly three years. More recently, we returned home - to Portland, OR. We have a little boy and a little girl. Neither is too little anymore. I like happy colors and vacations. My college degree claims I am a Mechanical Engineer, although my heart tells me I am an artist. I'm also a runner. I love the word garden as a noun but not as a verb.
Thanks for stopping by.